Yes, it’s going to be a A Red, White, And Blue Sunday at Park (dress accordingly). Jungwha’s prelude will be Sousa’s “The Thunderer” and the postlude, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” It will be a celebrative Sunday. But as we do on every Lord’s Day, we will gather to worship the Living God we meet in Jesus Christ. While we will not be ashamed to wear red, white and blue and will see the United States flag in our sanctuary, we will gather round the Word of God. In fact, the service is particularly centered on Psalm 33 with its message to the nation Israel and, I believe, an application that can be made to us in our very different context. We will hear the Psalmist first call us to worship. The call to worship is followed by a call to humility – perhaps the most truly patriotic of all emotions, and then by a call to hope; not the vain hope of the war horse, but in the Lord who is our help and shield. Each reading will be followed by a reflection on the word. We will hear some of the Psalmist’s themes echoed in Lincoln’s great Second Inaugural (fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray…). Between reflections we will sing familiar hymns: “God of the Ages,” “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies,” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

It would not only be nice for you to be in worship this Sunday, it is especially important for you to be in worship. In a world of jingoistic fundamentalism and cynical liberalism, we in the Reformed Tradition have a deep alternative understanding of God’s role in the life of the nation (and, yes, it begins with humility). Red, white, and blue, but also a heart open to the Word.

The General Assembly of the PCUSA completed its week of work yesterday in Birmingham, Alabama. You’ve read about some of its decisions in the local papers. Among its more important actions:

What I believe to be a deeply flawed statement on the nature of the Trinity was “received” not “approved” by the Assembly – reflecting some of the unease with a document that, while affirming Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as an “indispensable anchor,” suggested that the church be “liberated” to use many other images for the Triune God – Rainbow of Promise, Ark of Salvation, and Dove of Peace; Compassionate Mother, Beloved Child, Life-giving Womb; Rock, Cornerstone, and Temple. While each of these terms is Scriptural and may provide metaphorical clues to the nature and work of God, the selected triads are woefully inadequate and misleading as alternatives to understanding the essential nature of the God Scripture tells us is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Commended to the church for study and to be used in the development of liturgical resources, the Trinity paper is not helpful to a denomination already so confused about its own theological identity and its mission and message in a world increasingly torn by all sorts of religious fundamentalism on one side, self-fascinated New Age thought on another, and cold-hearted secularism on yet another. (more…)

In the Epistle:

A FATHER’S HEART
$150,000,000 JUST FOR US!

Sunday is Father’s Day we will be looking at two texts that I believe still speak powerfully to godly fathers: Malachi 4:6 and the turning of the father’s heart to his children; and Ephesians 6:4 which calls fathers to nurture and discipline their children in ways that do not provoke them to anger. In the meantime, fathers often spend their workdays in environments that reward competitiveness and aggressiveness, where their ability to provide for their family seems to demand a certain hard-heartedness and insensitivity. Simply put, like many other roles (including that of mother), the role of father, especially Christian father, is very difficult in our world.

Sunday’s sermon speaks especially to fathers, but the rest of you should feel free to listen in. And, please, be sure the Dad you love is in worship on Sunday.

And, by the way, what does Jeremiah 46:4 have to do with Ben Roethlisberger? You’d better come Sunday to find out! (more…)

Geraldo lived all his life in Belo Horizonte and all of his adult life in the Jardim America Biarro, specifically in a tired little set of rooms tucked off a narrow steep alley, Beco Edna, in Favela da Ventosa in the hilly southern part of the city.

Geraldo was a stone mason by trade and when he could get work, he earned enough to provide food and clothing for his wife Jendira and their three young boys, Leandro, Leonardo and Luiz. But there wasn’t always work to be gotten and like many men in the favela, Geraldo sometimes allowed himself too get a little to close to the “marginals,” the petty thieves and the foot soldiers in the drug wars that erupt in all the favelas from time to time. (more…)

In this E-pistle

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE
100 STRONG!
THE ANSWER, MY FRIEND…
I HOPE HE DOESN’T ROT IN HELL…

Make a joyful noise to the Lord the Psalmist exhorted the people of ancient Israel – and all those who worship and follow the Living God. This Sunday will mark the final time our Chancel Choir will lead us all in a joyful noise this 2005-2006 program year. Please be sure you are with us in worship for a magnificent anthem. The Chancel Choir is a rich resource for our church and we thank each member and Jungwha for the ways they have made our worship so meaningful. Thanks, too, to Graças, for the lively sound and joyful noise they add to our praise of God. Dave, Mark, Lisa, Susan, and Jungwha bring great gifts each time they sing! And by the way, both the Chancel Choir and Graças will gladly welcome new members when the new season begins in September. See Jungwha. (more…)